Safe and Sound
by Icy Pwny
Summary: "Nala, I can't go back," Simba sighed, chest heaving as he exhaled. (Rated M for later scenes)


**Safe and Sound:** Chapter 1

"Nala, I can't go back," Simba sighed, chest heaving as he exhaled. His eyes had dulled again, when they had been shimmering and glowing minutes earlier; seeing Nala had brought back his confidence, but for just a short period of time. Nala stared at him, shocked, eyes wide and mouth hanging slightly open.

"Why _not_?" Nala growled fiercely, not caring if she sounded like a brat. "Why _not_, Simba? What's _happened_ to you? What happened to the _old_ Simba, the playful cub I used to remember - and not this _grouch_?" She gazed intensely at her childhood friend, eyebrows lowering, shoulders rising to her ears, and lips pulling back in an aggravated snarl. Simba didn't even flinch at her sudden facial change, instead closing his eyes and turning away, hanging his head.

"You wouldn't understand." Simba groaned, slashing desperately at the grassy land beneath him with his extended claws. "You wouldn't understand, Nala, you wouldn't. _Really_." His eyes flickered to the stars up above, and his head lifted slightly, twisting to the side so the lion could see his old friend.

"I would if you'd just _tell_ me!" Nala snapped, foamy spittle dripping from her gums. "Look, Simba, if you don't go back, everyone will _starve_! And you could care less about _your_ pride? About _me_...and your mother? You're going to let us _die_, Simba?" Her eyes felt moist, and there was a burning blindness seeping over them. "Simba, _answer_ me!"

"It's not _my_ pride anymore," Simba spat, spinning around rapidly so that he and Nala were face-to-face. His eyes narrowed, eyebrows sinking down in pity and irritation of the lioness he once played with. The lioness he was betrothed to, at a time. "It's _Scar's_ pride, Nala. Look, sometimes bad things happen, and there's _nothing you can do about it_!"

"Simba, _listen_ to me." Nala's tone was commanding, forceful. Like she was commanding him to battle. "Simba, I want you to _listen_ to me. If you're not listening, then _start_." Her eyes flickered with anger, small lights dancing in those captivating blue orbs. "Look, Simba, if you don't return to the Pridelands and kick your uncle's ass, we're all going to _die_. So don't tell me you're _happy_ here, don't tell me you _never_ want to leave. You can leave the Pridelands occasionally to come here, but you will still be the king! Overthrow Scar, and we will live. _Please_, Simba, come on. Return to your duty as king of the Pridelands." The lioness' eyes were gleaming with a new hope, and she gazed at Simba as if looking at a lover. But the lion still turned away, stubborn as ever, and sighed again.

"I can't." His words made Nala tilt her head and rush forward, knocking him to the ground, breathing hard and pressing her thick paws against his mane. "I just can't go back, Nala. It wouldn't be right." Nala's eyes dulled again, becoming dark with aggravation again. She pushed him against the ground, then crawled off the lion's chest, still glowering. It seemed like a permanent scowl was upon her muzzle. "Don't be mad, because I've made my decision, and I'm not changing it for the world."

"Fine!" Nala growled, sticking her nose up in the air and whirling away. "Fine, then, Simba, but mark my words, you'll regret it! We're all going to die from starvation, and the last thing we'll remember is that you let us down! Because I'll tell them that you're alive and stuffing your selfish little face, but won't even help the pride you were supposed to rule!" Then she stormed off, and Simba rose carefully, eyebrows furrowed.

"She's wrong," Simba snapped in anger, stamping his paw impatiently. He tossed his head upwards, and his mane fell slack along his golden back. His red eyes gleaming, the lion gave a mighty roar, making the ground tremble beneath him. "I can _never_ go back. If I return now, the lionesses will kill me for killing my father. Scar's told them all about it, I'm sure of it. But he wouldn't have told Nala, it would have shattered her heart. My uncle definitely wouldn't do that to a cub, especially not a young lioness." His eyes flickered with annoyance, and he roared again, at the stars glittering in the sky. "You said you'd _always_ be there for me!" A new gleaming star faded slightly at his bellow. "But you're _not_...not anymore. And it's all because of _me_!"

He sank into the grass, chest quivering as he broke down, tears rolling down the fur on his cheeks. The lion moaned weakly, batting at the grass and rolling onto his back, staring up at the stars. Simba tugged at one long, thin piece of grass, pulling it up and down. It made a soothing, gentle humming sound, and a gang of crickets chirped nearby. The ex-prince closed his eyes, one last, salty, stinging teardrop slipping down into his mane and snaking through the fur. A star overhead winked at the lion and vanished, causing Simba to gasp and glance up at the sky.

"Wait!" he cried in sorrow, as a bright orange light lit up the celestial sphere, and all the stars flickered, fading in the early morning light. Simba enjoyed the company of the stars, and hated to watch them go. Especially now, since when he was angsty, or in despair, he loved looking at them. It calmed the ex-prince. "Don't leave me! Not yet, please..." But it was no use, as the sun was already tumbling through the glowing sky. The lion watched sadly as every little star winked and evaporated. He guessed it was time to return to Timon and Pumbaa, his foster fathers.

* * *

Nala sighed as she walked, downhearted, from the clearing she and Simba had chatted in. Her head hung low, and her eyes were dull with depression. The grass scratched at her legs, and the wind whispered soft words of wisdom into her ears. It calmed her, relaxing the tensed muscles in her body and making her body go slack, falling onto the gentle grass. She couldn't make Simba listen, but at least the world would always calm her bittersweet sorrows. Closing her eyes, the lioness lay back and sighed. This jungle really was an amazing place. She couldn't really blame Simba for wanting to stay here. Maybe she would, too.

But Nala sighed again, then shook her head, snapping herself out of the dreamy trance. She rose slowly, carefully tensing her limbs again and groaning, stretching to get herself moving again. What was it about this place that made her want to stay there? Was it the love she felt for Simba, or was it just the beautiful location herself? The lioness moaned and ran the tip of her tail along her arched back. She had to return, or the pride wouldn't thrive quite as well with one lioness lost. They had already lost a few due to the tyranny of Scar.

Her eyes flickered with doubt, but she rushed off into the bushes, tail swinging and head tucked low. She didn't want to be seen returning to the Pridelands; Scar likely hadn't noticed she was even gone yet. So she slunk through the grass, crawled through the desert - it was much easier in the cold of night instead of having the sun beating down with the heat of many flames. If she did this just right, no lion would even notice she had left. She'd told them she was going to be out hunting for a while, but secretly sneaked off to search for help. And she found Simba, who was no help at all. What she hadn't told Simba was that she was carrying Scar's cub (or cubs) and the two had been a little rough...not that Nala cared, since it was Scar's, but she didn't know if she should have told him or not. And, well, she hadn't even though about it, but overjoyed to see one another, the two started...mating. She was likely now carrying at least one cub of Simba's, a strange thought. How did her childhood friend become her lover for about half an hour?

When the lioness finally arrived at her home, dawn was breaking through the clouds. She rushed down the rocks, panting and wheezing in the clouds of dust. As she slipped into Pride Rock, no other lion was awake, and she sighed in relief. Her secret excursion would go unnoticed, at least by Scar. She would tell Sarabi and her mother in private, as well as some of the other lionesses she'd made friends with. Curling up beside Sarafina, Nala shut her eyes and rested. Maybe if she acted like she'd been here this whole time, it'd be alright, because Scar didn't sleep in Pride Rock with the lionesses. He slept in a dark, gloomy gave with Zazu trapped in a small cage made of bones. Three of the hyenas also slept in there - Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed - as did Scar's queen and child.

"...Nala?" Sarafina groaned, blinking and gazing at her daughter with wide, green eyes. "I-is that...you?" Her eyes blurred slightly, still coated in sleep. She reached out to gently brush her teenage son's coat, causing the snoring Mheetu to startle, awakened suddenly, and grunt at his mother softly, green eyes narrowed. Sarafina giggled. "I know you aren't a child anymore, Mheetu, no need to remind me. But you will always be my baby boy. And your sister...she will always be my baby girl. You two are everything to me."

"Yes, it's me, mother." Nala whispered, grinning at her mother and brother. "I was hunting for...oh, I don't know how long. But it was a very long time...I even lost track of the time, and slipped away from the Pridelands without realizing it. _Oops_." She winked at the two lions she loved most; other than Simba, of course. "And guess who I found there? _Simba_!"

Sarafina stifled a shocked gasp, eyes widening and breath rate increasing. Her pupils dilated, she leaned closer to her daughter, as did Mheetu, who was blinking and gaping soundlessly, attempting to slip a few words out. However, his breathing sped up, and his mouth moved soundlessly. Nala smirked, sitting up and swishing her tail along the rocky ground.

"But, but..." Mheetu managed, paws at his mouth. "Simba's dead. The old weirdo said so. He told us Simba was...dead..." His eyes bulged, and Nala giggled. Her poor brother looked so confused, and silly, that she couldn't help it.  
"He's alive, Mheetu," she responded, stifling hysteric giggles. "And the '_old weirdo_' is your father, silly lion."  
"How did you know it was him, Nala?" Mheetu asked, still eyeing his sister as if she should be locked up.  
"Because...I felt something stirring in my heart when I saw him. Something...a feeling I've never felt before."  
"Is he coming back?"

Nala shook her head sadly, and Mheetu sank back onto the ground, curling up instinctively. His eyes narrowed again, and he looked like his father more than ever now. His sister sighed, laid her head on his, and drifted off into a sound sleep. She would deal with her childhood friend in a couple days; she would return to the jungle, make him come back if it was the last thing she did. One thing was for sure; they couldn't handle Scar's tyranny for much longer.


End file.
